Side Effects
by freetheweeb
Summary: Three years have passed since No.6 fell, and Shion succumbs to a mysterious illness. Nezumi is torn between caring for Shion and distancing himself from vulnerability. Post-series, reunion. I'm trying to crank out a new chapter at least every three days! (previously titled "The Echo")
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Shion!"

His mother was hovering over him, inches away from his face. She pressed her hands against his cheeks and held his head still, her eyes full of concern.

"Shion?"

They were on the kitchen floor, coated thinly in flour. Shion could remember pulling a tray out of the oven, a rush of dizziness. Then this. His head ached dully. He wanted to tell his mom that he was fine now, to get up and set the rolls out to cool. But as he tried to lift his body, his muscles gave way to spasms, sending him back to the ground.

"Don't try to get up, Shion. Stay right there." He wanted to respond, but his vision became blurred, and he fell back into darkness.

Shion woke up slowly, curling into a ball on his bed beneath his quilt. He was overcome with the urge to vomit, and he shut his eyes tightly.

"Has he been eating much?" a voice asked on the other side of his door.

"No, not really... He's been sick like this on and off for months, honestly, just..." His mom paused, "that's the first time he's fainted."

The pangs in his stomach were intense, and he let out a groan.

"I think he's up." she announced. The door creaked open and his mother walked in, followed by a large man in a sweater and collar.

"Hello, Shion," he said kindly, "I'm Dr. Faustus." Most of his face was covered in a thick beard. "Mind if I peek at you a bit?" Shion nodded, pushing off the blanket and trying to sit. "Just stay how you are." the doctor advised. He took a stethoscope from his bag and lifted Shion's shirt. His eyes found the light scar that wrapped itself around Shion's torso like a ribbon. "Oh, my."

"It's from the... Outbreak." Shion said. "Nezu- _I_ cut it out." He rubbed his neck softly, remembering the excruciating pain he had undergone when they removed the insect. Back before the wall had come down. The familiar longing struck him when he thought back to that day.

 _You'll be fine._

Dr. Faustus continued with the cold stethoscope, pressing it to different parts of his chest and back, asking questions that Shion tried to answer truthfully. The man listened with a grimace, turning to Karan.

"May I take some blood?"

Karan looked to Shion, who shrugged weakly. Dr. Faustus placed a plastic tourniquet on his upper arm, feeling around for a vein. Shion didn't look when the needle went in. Instead, he noticed a small shadow on the other side of his window. He used his other hand to push back the tattered curtain and reveal what was there, but the silhouette quickly vanished. Shion could have sworn that he'd seen a tail. After another minute, the syringe was full, and the discomfort subsided when it was removed. Dr. Faustus gazed at the tube full of red liquid with satisfaction, then began packing up his things.

"Good blood. I'll have the results back in a few days. In the meantime..." he looked at Shion thoughtfully, "try to keep him off his feet."

"But the bakery..." Shion moaned. His mother sighed and pushed back a small lock of his hair.

"I have Riri to help me." she assured him.

"At least until the labs come back." the man negotiated. Now it was Shion's turn to sigh, defeated. He nodded, reuniting himself with his blanket. A thought occurred to him.

"Doctor!" He yelled as the man was leaving the room. He turned back towards the bed, listening. Shion's brow furrowed. "This isn't... it's not from the parasites, right?" Dr. Faustus frowned, scratching his beard.

"Your guess is better than mine. You're the only survivor I've ever met... Whatever killed all of those people has to have done a number on your body. It's impossible to know anything until I get those labs back. Oh, and Karan," He muttered as he left the room, "I'll need to speak to you."

When he was alone, the fear began to creep into Shion's mind. Confusion from the illness tangled with his thoughts, and he found it difficult to focus on anything clearly besides the idea that his condition was more serious than he had originally assumed. He tried to bury himself deep in his bedding, tucking his head beneath his pillow. The sunlight filtering into his room through the curtains slowly faded until it was almost spent, yet sleep would not come. Shion sat up, restless. There was always one thing he knew would help him sleep. He threw on his jacket and shoes and slipped out his window and into the dusky evening.

The city buzzed with the sounds of renovation as Shion limped down the road, the same path he had walked countless times before when sleep seemed impossible. Everywhere in the West Block, buildings were being remodeled or torn down and replaced with something sturdier and larger. Many places even had access to electricity; others were getting running water for the first time. The progress reminded Shion that he should be thankful. Had he gotten sick three years ago, when No.6 still loomed untouchable on the horizon, the chances of him seeing a doctor with access to real medical equipment would have been slim, at best. These were better times. So why did he wish he could go back? Back to before.

He could get lost in those daydreams for hours, reliving those short days that were the pinnacle of his life. Each year it became harder to distinguish fantasies from memories, what he wanted to have happened and what truly did. Had he really shot that man? Had he really died, at least for a moment? Had they really danced?

Right here, he thought as he entered the lightless room, far now from the surface of the world. This is where it happened, right? He lit an oil lamp and its glow engulfed his surroundings. There was the couch where they kissed for the first time. But did it really happen? Could he have been bold enough to lean in, to act on his desires so compulsively? Not him. The memory must have been flawed. And back there was the bed where he had begged to be allowed to die, and nearly did. At least he had no doubt in that memory's legitimacy. Its reminder was coiled around his body and stained into his hair. It made the experience impossible to forget.

And everywhere, books. Shion couldn't shake the worry as he picked one up, its cover torn from its main text. It wasn't a surprise when Nezumi had left him behind. It was an unspoken agreement that he would only humor Shion's presence until other arrangements were available. But the books concerned him. The fact that Nezumi could abandon his collection and allow it to reach this condition had never been something Shion had foreseen.

He moved towards the bedroom, laying down gingerly. The smell was gone; had been for months, maybe years now. But if Shion closed his eyes long enough, he could feel the phantom presence of another person beside him, breathing softly. Shion let out a longing moan.

"Enjoying yourself?"

Shion's heart nearly stopped. He opened his eyes.

That was real.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Shion stayed completely still, eyes darting around the room for a sign that he was not alone. Silence accompanied the darkness, and Shion wished that he'd brought the oil lamp into the bedroom. Eventually, he decided to speak.

"Are you really there?" he whispered. His heart was pounding so loud that the blood crashed in his ears and his body trembled. For a long time, nothing happened. Then Shion heard the doorknob squeal.

"No!" he yelped, jumping out of the bed and careening into the figure trying to escape. Shion tackled him, pinning his wrists to the ground. It was still too dark to make out definite facial features, but Shion held him down nonetheless.

"You're not leaving." Shion grunted, inches away from the intruder. The man let out a small chuckle.

"Oh, really?" he laughed. Shion couldn't be sure if the deep voice belonged to Nezumi, but beneath its huskiness he detected something recognizable. But could he be sure?

The intruder effortlessly twisted his arms free from Shion's grasp, then slid from beneath him. Before Shion had time to react, the man was on top of him, pressing his face into the wooden floor and restraining Shion's arm by twisting it behind his back. Shion felt the flat edge of a cool blade against his cheek.

It was Nezumi.

"That was almost too easy," he whispered into Shion's ear, "you've become weaker." Shion didn't respond. His eyes rolled backwards from the dizziness and his breathing was harshly labored. Inexplicably, he began to cry. At first, only a few tears streamed down his face, but then he gave in to sobbing. Nezumi's force on him softened. He let out a concerned, almost annoyed sigh.

"Why are you crying?" he asked blatantly. Shion didn't respond; he could only weep. Eventually, Nezumi let go and rose to his feet, leaving Shion to slump on the floor.

"No," Shion moaned, "please. Not yet. Don't leave yet."

Nezumi walked to face Shion, getting down on his knee and lifting Shion up by the shoulders so that he was level with him.

"You weren't supposed to be here," he said sadly, wiping the tears from Shion's cheeks. His fingertips were rough, but still warm, a sweet contrast to the icy knife that had been there moments before.

"How could you?" Shion whispered.

"Not now, Shion." Nezumi said harshly. Shion's face fell to Nezumi's knee, and he tried to throw his arms around him, but Nezumi jumped backwards, standing again. "Not now."

Shion felt himself convulsing, and the crying stopped. He had no control over his body; it twitched and thrashed, and he couldn't keep himself from vomiting on the floor and himself. He lay there for some time, and Nezumi couldn't tell whether or not he was conscious. His steely attitude that he had worked so hard to keep up quickly dissolved into genuine concern. He bent down and cradled Shion.

"Hey, wake up," he commanded, "Shion, stop messing around. Wake up." Shion's head hung backwards sharply when Nezumi tried to support his neck. Nezumi never took his eyes off of Shion's face and he picked him up in his arms and took him to the bathroom. He started the water and removed Shion's clothes, setting him the water as it filled in around him. He washed Shion's face and torso diligently, wrapping him up in an old towel when he was done.

"What have you done to yourself?" Nezumi muttered. Shion was still sleeping and he carried him back to the bedroom and set him on the bed. He brought in another towel and scrubbed the floor where Shion had been laying. When things were as clean as Nezumi could manage, he returned to Shion.

"Still so helpless." he whispered as he gazed at the man he hadn't seen in over three years. Not much had changed in him physically besides his hair, which was still a glowing white but cut short. He was incredibly thin, as well; Nezumi was amazed at how easy it had been to lift him and carry him from room to room. Still, he didn't look like he belonged here; soft skin and a kind face, Nezumi wondered how he had survived staying in the West Block. He could have returned to what was left of No.6, where he could live more comfortably. Nezumi dressed him carefully in a sweater and pants that he had found in the drawer. Shion moaned but didn't wake.

Nezumi hoisted Shion onto his back, putting out the lamp as he left. It was the middle of the night by then, and Nezumi blended effortlessly with the shadows, even with Shion on him. He tried not to think about how easy it would have been to keep Shion there, in _his_ bed, to know he was close... Nezumi shook the thought away as he had so often dismissed others throughout the years. Shion always made him vulnerable.

Shion's house was a small building attached the the back of a bakery. The brick was new, and the awning had a welcoming image of a cartoon mouse, equipped with an apron, holding a loaf of bread. Nezumi entered around the back, carrying Shion through the sitting area and into the hall where the bedrooms were. Although Nezumi had never spied on Shion personally, he had sent his rats to keep a limited eye on him, and he thought he could remember which door was Shion's. He crept inside, but an unfamiliar face greeted him. It was a little boy, a toddler, really, peaking out at him from beneath his blanket. Nezumi froze.

"Are you the doctor?" the child asked him in a high pitched voice. Nezumi raised an eyebrow.

"Why would you think that?" he asked suspiciously.

"For Shion!" the boy responded, "he's been very sick for a long time. He's always in bed! But the doctor can make him all better so we can play together again!" He smiled happily at the thought. Nezumi was struck by a pang of astonished sadness. He turned his head to look at the unconscious Shion's face, which was resting on his shoulder. He did look gaunt and weak. Nezumi turned back to the boy.

"Well, I _am_ the doctor," Nezumi informed him, "and I was just putting Shion in his bed. But I can't find his room." He tried to be friendly with the child, using his experience with acting to become someone else.

"I could take you to his room!" the boy said. Nezumi nodded.

"Ok, but you have to stay quiet."

The little boy bounced out of bed and led him out. Shion's room was at the end of the hallway, and the entered, shutting the door behind them. Nezumi laid Shion on the bed, and the boy helped cover him in his blanket. Nezumi turned and started to leave.

"Don't you have to do doctor stuff?" the boy asked. Nezumi looked back at him. The child couldn't have been more than five, and he stood beside Shion and held onto his hand like he was the last thing in the world the boy wanted to lose. He looked at Nezumi desperately. Nezumi cursed himself inside for involving him in the first place. He walked over to Shion and took his arm, feeling his wrist with two fingers.

"His pulse is fine," Nezumi said, "that means his heart is good." He looked at the boy, who was still watching him expectantly. He reached into his pocket and pretended to take out something incredibly miniscule between his thumb and forefinger. "You see this? It's a very small pill, but it's very powerful. It will make Shion healthier and stronger. Help me give it to him. Open his mouth." The boy complied. Nezumi slipped the nonexistent pill into Shion mouth and carefully closed it.

"He'll be all better now?" the boy asked. Nezumi crouched down to be on his level.

"Even though it is very powerful, I'll have to come back every night to give him some more. But you need to be in bed. Don't worry, tomorrow I'll come give him some more, but you won't see me. That's how nighttime doctors work." he told him in a calm voice. The little boy nodded.

"You can go back to your room now. Thank you for helping." Nezumi said. The boy smiled and ran out the door. Nezumi watched him go, then looked back to Shion.

"What's happened to you?" he muttered softly.

The room's walls were completely adorned with drawings of plants or insects, often accompanied with little notes scribbled beside them. On the dresser there were potted plants and a notepad. Nezumi glanced over the books on the shelf. Nearly all of them were nonfiction, but tucked in between a textbook about evolution and the side of the shelf was a beat up copy of _Much Ado About Nothing_. Nezumi plucked the play from the shelf and held it gingerly, flipping to the inside cover. A small note was inscribed there, exactly where he'd put it years before. It was a little poem, about nothing really. Shion must have found it and kept it for himself. Nezumi returned it to its slot on the shelf. He felt two hot tears slip down his cheek. All that time he'd been gone, he imagined returning to Shion. It was always part of the plan. But never like this; Shion with some mysterious illness and him with bitter regrets. He couldn't have stayed then. He had to go. But he'd thought that, when he returned, there would still have been plenty of time.

"What is happening to you?" he whispered as he finally went to the door. He left the bakery with a heavy heart, melting back into the night.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The cramped room could hardly be called an office, Shion thought as he and his mom waited for Dr. Faustus. He sat on a hard examination table while Karan rested in a chair, her expression one of extreme exhaustion. Shion looked down at his hands, which trembled uncontrollably, whether due to anxiousness or sickness he could not be sure.

"Where did you get that sweater, Shion?" his mom asked sweetly. She was attempting to take his mind off of the situation. Shion looked around absentmindedly.

"An old friend."

Shion thought back to the morning that he'd found himself in Nezumi's clothes. He'd woken up much later than usual, groggy with memories of the night before swimming in his head. He'd thought that perhaps he had dreamed it all; slipping away to their old hideout, tackling Nezumi, embarrassing himself when he broke down crying. But when he got out of bed, he hadrealized that he was in unfamiliar clothes. No, they were familiar. Just not his own.

Since that morning, Shion had returned to Nezumi's place four times, with no success at finding him. He'd lay in the bed, hoping that Nezumi would return. Shion thought painfully of how he hadn't even gotten a glimpse of his face in the darkness, had no clue what he may look like now. The longing burned in his chest. A little more than a week had passed, and the clothes were the only proof Shion had that the interaction had ever happened.

"Well, it looks nice on you." his mom said. Shion smirked at her in thanks. There was a polite knock at the door to signal Dr. Faustus' arrival, and then he entered.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" he greeted Shion warmly. Shion shrugged.

"Kind of the same." he answered. Shion's mom scoffed.

"He can hardly work up the energy to get out of bed anymore." Karan butted in. Shion felt the urge to point out that he'd been strong enough to sneak out to Nezumi's place plenty of times that week, but decided to keep his mouth shut about the whole ordeal. He simply repeated his shrug.

"Yes…" Dr. Faustus said, almost awkwardly. He seemed to be inching away from the two, anxious to get the appointment over with. "Karan, if I could talk to you about these lab results in the hall…"

"I'd like to hear it as well." Shion said calmly. The doctor chuckled, walking over to Shion and placing his hand on his shoulder.

"It's just a preliminary thing, I always like to speak with a patient's guardian before getting too deep into-" Shion grabbed the man's shirt collar and tugged him towards his face, staring at him sternly. Dr. Faustus yelped.

"Shion!" Karan gasped.

"I'm nineteen years old. I'd like to hear what you have to say, please." Shion said, sill intimidating for despite his suffering. Dr. Faustus pulled away, shaken.

"Sure." he muttered. Karan looked away uncomfortably. The doctor cleared his throat.

"Although there are no other cases I can compare to your own, it seems that the diagnosis is simple; even though it didn't kill you, the poison from the parasite had an extreme effect on your organs; in particular, your kidneys. The tests show that they're no longer filtering blood the way they're meant to. You're entering the early stages of renal failure." he looked down at the floor. "Basically, when we took the blood, we look for different materials that the kidneys _should_ be eliminating. The abundance of creatinine, one of those materials, in your sample tells us that your kidneys aren't doing a very good job, and, soon, they won't be doing any job at all." Silence engulfed the room. Tears began to stream down Karan's face.

"I know this is hard to hear. But there is a way to keep you alive." Dr. Faustus tried to say cheerily. "We start you on dialysis, where we perform the kidney's work artificially, at the hospital, until we can find you a donor." Dr. Faustus finally worked up the nerve to look at Shion. He was completely frozen, unable to respond.

"Any questions? I know this can be a big weight on your shoulders." The doctor's cliche attempts at bedside manner slid off of Shion like droplets of water on oil. He was lost in another time. One where Nezumi had looked at him, assuring him of the future.

 _You'll be fine._

"How long… how long until he has to start dialysis?" Karan said chokingly. She wiped at her eyes angrily.

"As soon as possible. You can talk to my receptionist right outside about scheduling a check-in day at the hospital."

Karan had to tug Shion by the shoulder to get him out of the office. Dr Faustus followed them out, speaking quietly to the man sitting at the desk by the exit. The secretary nodded, making notes on a form.

"I need to schedule his check-in day for the hospital." His mom said timidly. The secretary smiled at her, and began explaining the process of moving Shion into the hospital and beginning dialysis. Karan asked a few questions and picked the soonest day available. Right before they were going to leave, the secretary pressed his lips together.

"It seems that you have some outstanding bills… Could we settle those up today? And here is the predicted hospital bill for his first week." he slid a piece of paper towards her. Karan gasped audibly.

"How… how am I supposed to pay this?" she begged. Shion could sense she was cracking. He gazed over her shoulder at the paper. What parts of him that already felt numb now froze over completely. Shion knew what would come next. He knew this woman. She would pour everything she had into keeping him alive, and even that wouldn't be enough, in the end. He turned to his mom and put his arm around her shoulder.

"That won't be necessary." Shion said to the secretary with a smile. He looked at him, confused.

"What do you mean?" Dr. Faustus asked, still lurking behind them.

"We won't need the bill because I won't be going on dialysis."

Nezumi walked about the busy marketplace, mulling over his different options for dinner. He spotted a produce stand and approached it, gingerly selecting what he wanted and placing it in his wicker basket. Remembering the many times he hadn't had to luxury of being able to pay, he eyed the saleswoman suspiciously, waiting for her to run him off, spitting expletives. He had to remind himself that he was no longer a feral child, driven by hunger to do anything in order to survive, no matter how shameful. He was at least somewhat presentable now, trustworthy in his fitted jacket and new shoes. For some reason, the social approval he received made him cringe. He looked back to the saleswoman with disdain. She was gossiping with a customer, allowing the line behind them to gradually grow. Nezumi was too far away from the conversation to be a part of it, but too close to ignore it.

"...And you must have heard about Karan's boy. You know, the woman who just opened that bakery a year ago?" the saleswoman blurted. The older man she was speaking with shook his head. Nezumi's interest was peaked when he heard them mention Shion.

"I know them alright, stop in the shop from time to time. I haven't seen the boy in, well, probably a month." he responded.

"That's because he's about to kick the bucket," the lady went on, "you really didn't hear?" Nezumi's ears began to ring, and his surrounding seemed unreal, like time had slowed and all he could hear was her words, echoing softly. "He isn't letting them treat it. Too expensive. He's decided to die instead."

"But isn't he only-" the man began, but they were interrupted by the crowd's uproar. Nezumi had dropped the vegetables onto the dirt, turned the other direction, and begun to run, splitting a pathway through the packed throng of bodies.


	4. Chapter 4

Shion was lying in the grass, leaning against a sapling. The little park had sprouted up only a year after the wall had fallen, and had become a center for people of the community to enjoy growth and healing. Without planning, people came from all over the area, planting trees, grass, and a small garden. Children congregated there to play, and in the distance Little Shion giggled wildly as he chased his friends in a game of tag. It was one of Shion's favorite places in the West Block, different from the stone buildings and dusty pathways; it was quiet and pleasant to look at, a place where one could sit and think.

"Look, a mouse!" Little Shion squealed in the distance.

"There's three of them!" another child proclaimed. Shion raised his eyebrows.

"That's him then. The baby you insisted on saving." a voice said beside him. Shion gasped, startled, and turned. Nezumi was standing there, looking off into the distance instead of at Shion, hands in his pockets. He looked different. His hair was pulled back into a short ponytail, but the sides of his head were shaved, leaving little hair left to hang around the side of his face like it used to. He didn't exactly look older, but less childish, his face sharper somehow. He wore a brown leather jacket and a dark purple scarf. He glared down at Shion, eyes narrowed in anger.

"Y-yes," Shion said, "it's him. We took him in after…" he felt his eyes begin to well up with tears. He looked away, shutting them tightly.

"Shion, we need to talk." Nezumi grunted.

"About what?" Shion asked, hugging his knees nervously.

"About you. About how you're refusing treatment." Shion scoffed.

"What do you care?" Shion asked indignantly. "Until today, I was under the impression that you were through with me." Nezumi gritted his teeth.

"Damn it, Shion!" he hissed. "Think about your mother. Do you think she wants to lose you?"

"I _am_ thinking about her," Shion retorted. "She'll destroy her life, sell whatever she has just to pay for this. And what will it get her? Maybe a year. Probably less. And then she would lose me, right after she's lost everything else." He looked at Nezumi, letting the hot tears escape his eyes. "That cannot happen! I will not let it happen." Nezumi grabbed Shion's collar with both of his hands and pulled him up to eye level threateningly. His face was inches away from Shion's. Nezumi's teeth were showing. Shion watched him.

"Are you going to hit me? Then hit me. That always makes you feel better." Shion said bitterly. Nezumi's eyes narrowed. Then he did something that Shion would never have imagined. Nezumi closed his eyes, pulled Shion closer, and kissed him.

At first, Shion was so taken aback that he squealed slightly. His eyes widened and hands flew up near his shoulders. After a few seconds, he too closed his eyes, letting his hands rest on top of Nezumi's, which were still clutching his shirt and shoulders tightly. Although Nezumi's demeanor was rigid and furious, his lips were tender and soft on Shion's. When Nezumi finally pulled away, Shion gazed at him in wonder. They were both breathing heavily. Shion was shaking.

"I need you to live, Shion." Nezumi said firmly. Shion felt the guilt build inside him, making his heart heavy.

"Where were you?" he whispered to Nezumi. "Where were you yesterday? Last month? The past few years? When I needed you. You can't just show up... You don't understand..."

"You're blabbering." Nezumi criticized him softly as he caressed Shion's cheek.

"So what?" Shion choked. "You don't understand, it's never been like this for you. You see what you want and you go and take it. For me, there's no other options! It's either die soon or die sooner. You don't understand Nezumi. It's never been like this for you." Shion sobbed. Nezumi touched his chin and directed his head to face his.

"You really think I've never been on the brink of death, Shion?" Nezumi said. "We've both been here before. You just have to keep fighting. You can't afford to be weak now."

Shion leaned forward and pressed himself into Nezumi's chest. Nezumi seemed reluctant at first, but then he wrapped his arms around him, holding him tightly. Little Shion approached them, and they pulled away awkwardly. Nezumi scratched his head.

"Hello, doctor." Little Shion said nonchalantly. Shion looked at Nezumi curiously, only to be shrugged at. Little Shion grabbed on to Shion's hand. "Can we go home soon?"

"Yes, it's nearly dinner time." Shion responded, attempting to sound cheerful as he wiped the last of his tears away. Little Shion looked at him worriedly.

"Okay. Can I have a piggyback there?" he asked. Shion smiled and tried scooping up the child, but he couldn't bring himself to hold him on his back. Nezumi wordlessly grabbed Little Shion and hoisted him onto his shoulders. Little Shion held onto Nezumi's ponytail and yelled with delight.

"Nezumi, are you sure-" Shion asked.

"I can walk you home." He said solemnly.

Nezumi paced himself slowly to allow Shion to keep up. There was a slight level of discomfort hanging in the air between them, and Nezumi knew that he shouldn't have kissed him. Shion had gone through so much already; the added stress of Nezumi's constantly fluctuating affections was just added cruelty. He couldn't tell what had gotten into to him, only that he had been filled with the overwhelming need to keep Shion from slipping away, from accepting death. Nezumi would drag Shion through any hardship if it meant it would push him to try and survive.

They neared the bakery, and Little Shion was growing antsy on top of Nezumi. He set the child down on his feet, letting him run around the back of the house.

"Can you stay for dinner?" Shion asked. Nezumi gritted his teeth and looked away, panic filling his chest.

"I can't do things like that, Shion." he muttered. Shion calmly gazed down at Nezumi's hand and slowly took it into his own, interlacing their fingers delicately. He could have sworn he saw Nezumi blush.

"Please? I won't tell anyone that you stopped being dark and mysterious for a few hours to sit down and enjoy a meal." Shion teased. Nezumi sighed. Perhaps Shion would drag _him_ through any hardship if it meant Shion would try to survive, too. Nezumi nodded coolly and he and Shion made there way around the building and into the house. Nezumi was confronted with the delicious aroma of dinner being prepared. It was the first time he had seen the place in adequate lighting, and he was surprised by how comfortable it seemed. The kitchen, dining table, and living room were all one space, creating the false sense of roominess. Shion's mom was in the kitchen, observing a pot that was steaming on the stove. She turned when she heard them come inside.

"Oh!" she exclaimed when she saw them.

"It's Nezumi, mom." Shion said nonchalantly. Nezumi let go of Shion's hand quickly, blood rushing to his face. Karan smiled at him weakly.

"Of course! We've got enough to go around. Sit down and I'll bring this right over. Make that little boy wash his hands first!" she chimed, returning to her cooking.

"I did wash them!" Little Shion yelled as he entered the room. He jumped up into one of the chairs around the dining table. Shion pulled out Nezumi's chair for him. He sat with an air of uncertainty. Shion sat beside him.

"Here, Nezumi," Shion whispered, "you can let your guard down." Nezumi looked into Shion's eyes, then down at his mouth. He nodded weakly. There was no escaping it. To keep Shion alive, he would do anything.


	5. Chapter 5

Shion could see Inukashi's hotel looming above him as he made his way steadily towards it on the side of the road. Although his condition had definitely worsened and the act of walking made him lightheaded, he'd managed to develop a pattern of movements that lessened his pain, and as long as he progressed slowly enough, it may have seemed to the average passerby that he was only a little sore and tired from a long day of hard work.

Although many of the building had changed since No.6 had fallen, Inukashi's hotel hadn't changed at all. Right after refugees from No.6 had come pouring into the West Block to escape the havoc of the city, Inukashi had opened the hotel's doors for all who needed a place to rest and be reunited with their lost family members. Since then, the popularity of the establishment had only grown, and it was hard to find a night when most of the room weren't filled with both people and dogs. As Shion entered through the front door, an elderly bloodhound came to greet him. Shion petted him softly on the head.

"So you've decided to finally show your face here." Inukashi's harsh voice called from the balcony. It was so dim in the lobby compared to outside that Shion could barely see the outline of a figure. Inukashi slid down the railing of the staircase and jumped in front of Shion's face. Inukashi analyzed him.

"I know it's been a while, but-" Shion stuttered, scratching his head and looking down guiltily. Inukashi laughed heartily and slapped him hard on the shoulder. Shion cried out in pain and nearly fell to the ground, bracing himself on his knees and hands. Inukashi's laughter stopped abruptly.

"Shion." Inukashi whispered. Shion stood slowly and looked away, trying to summon his dignity.

"Why have you really come?" Inukashi asked quietly. The atmosphere of the conversation had shifted from playfulness to seriousness. Shion was silent for a moment. He sighed shakily and quickly embraced Inukashi, who gasped in a surprise, in a tight hug. Shion closed his eyes.

"I'm going away soon, and I won't be coming back." Shion said solemnly. Inukashi was silent. "I wanted you to know because I don't want you to feel abandoned or like I didn't care about you. I have to leave. And you deserved to know..." Shion paused. "You deserve to know that without you, I wouldn't be here today. And I'm so grateful that through all of this, I was able to call you my friend."

Inukashi pulled away from Shion, turning away.

"Have you told your family?" Inukashi whispered, arms crossed. Shion shook his head.

"I can't bring myself to..." he mumbled. Inukashi whirled around and slapped him again, this time across the face.

"How dare you let your mother lose you again, without warning. How dare you leave Little Shion behind." Inukashi hissed. Shion cradled the side of his stinging face.

"Don't tell them, Inukashi." Shion begged. "Swear you won't tell."

"I won't burden myself with your sins." Inukashi responded. "But I also won't encourage you to commit them."

"You couldn't understand." Shion said. There was a long silence.

"And what should I tell the rat if he returns?" Inukashi asked heatedly. Shion gritted his teeth. He hadn't seen Nezumi in the past three days. Shion didn't respond.

"Eh." Inukashi shrugged. "What right does he have to judge someone for leaving, right?"

Shion felt a wave of fatigue hit him. He couldn't remain standing like this. How much longer would he have to endure? How many more months until the end finally reached him?

"Goodbye, Inukashi." Shion said with a heavy heart. Inkashi's hands went into their pockets.

"So long, kid." Inukashi called after him as he turned and struggled to open the door. Once he had left, Inukashi turned around to face the shadows.

"What are you going to do?" Inukashi asked the darkness. Inukashi heard a thud that could only be Nezumi punching the wall. Again and again his fist collided with the cement, until his knuckles crack. Inukashi's eyes rolled.

"Stop that nonsense," Inukashi demanded, moving towards him. Nezumi was on the ground, leaning against the wall with his head turned towards the ceiling. Blood was smeared across his hands.

"Is he going to die? Is that why he's going?" Inukashi asked. Nezumi responded to the question with a glare. "Well? Go stop him!" Inukashi yelled.

"He doesn't listen to reason." Nezumi muttered.

"Then maybe it's time for others to start making the decisions for him." Inukashi said darkly, kneeling down to where Nezumi sat. "I have a few ideas for you."


	6. Chapter 6

The early morning sunlight lit the house with a radiant glow as Shion hoisted the bag onto his shoulders. He had intentionally only packed a few items, knowing that his body could no longer handle the weight if he packed for every scenario that he might encounter. In it was only one spare change of clothes, enough food to get him through four days, and a light blanket.

Sunday mornings were usually quiet for Shion's family, but, since the visit to the doctor, Karan had been toiling nonstop in the kitchen, completely stocking the front of the store and then promising the rest to be delivered around town. Many people were sympathetic to her situation and bought what they could, but it would never come close to what she needed to pay for Shion's medical bills. Shion wistfully listened to her smacking baking sheets around. He knew what he was about to do was going to cause his mother immense pain, but it would be nothing compared to what she would have to go through these next few months. He had to make a clean break now, while he still had the strength to get away.

"I'm so sorry, Mom." he whispered. He heard Little Shion giggle from the front room. "I'm so sorry."

He straightened his bedding and looked around his room one last time. Impulsively, he approached his bookshelf and took down his copy of _Much Ado About Nothing_. He'd tried reading it many times, but he could never get used to how it felt to read a play. It hadn't been something they'd taught them to do in No.6, especially not Shakespeare. The archaic words confused Shion, and the underlying jokes that Nezumi had told him where there went right over Shion's head without someone there to explain it to him. Regardless, it was all that Shion had left of Nezumi, and to leave it here, unfinished, felt wrong. He tucked it into his backpack.

"Boys! Come get breakfast already!" he heard his mom announce, "I'm coming, hold on!" he yelled. Shion opened the window as quietly as he could, coughing at the loudest part to cover the sound. He climbed outside and blinked up at the sun. This was it. His last journey.

Not that he had been on very many, he reminded himself as he walked away from the house, bound for the edge of the city. Besides his escape from certain death in No.6, he had never travelled anywhere, and even then he'd had Nezumi to show him the way. And so Shion found himself clueless as to where he would go.

 _Away,_ he thought, _just away._ Even if he wandered aimlessly in the desert, going nowhere, at least he wouldn't be hurting anyone. This thought consoled him as he walked on, adrenaline making up for his lost stamina.

It was late into the afternoon and Shion hadn't seen a building in a few miles; instead, he saw the remnants of them, rubble and bricks strewn across the rough dirt. Here and there, shrubbery and weeds attempted to grow, sprawled out beneath the sun, accepting the harsh heat and lack of rain. Shion was panting, and he knew he couldn't make it much farther without resting for awhile. He spotted a lone wall, leftover from whatever structure that crumbled long ago, and decided that he would rest there. As he approached, he saw a dark figure leaning up against it. It wasn't until he was ten feet away that he recognized that it was Nezumi. Shion felt the panic build up in his chest.

"Nezu-" he began.

"Finally!" Nezumi exclaimed, exasperated. His expression wasn't angry; instead, his smug smile and raised eyebrows gave him an air of mischievousness. "You walk too slow, Shion."

"How did you know I would come this way?" Shion asked, dumbstruck. Nezumi chuckled.

"I followed you. But the rate you were walking at was just too painful."

"Why are you here?" Shion asked. "Don't make me go back." he begged. Nezumi looked at him incredulously.

"Take you back? No." he said, scoffing. Shion sighed. "I was just waiting here to let you know that we need to turn soon." Nezumi pointed in a different direction. Shion looked at him suspiciously.

"That's towards No.6." Shion stated.

"Yep." Nezumi responded coolly, pushing himself off the wall. "Now, are you going to be able to keep up, or am I going to have to carry you?" He was closer to Shion now, and his voice had become almost flirtatious. Shion began to feel the familiar butterflies in his stomach. Nezumi was distracting him from his original plan.

"What makes you think I want to go back there? Or that I'd want to go with you?" Shion said indignantly. Nezumi shook his head. He took out his knife.

"I think you'll find it in your best interest to come with me." he said quietly. "It's not good for someone like you to be out here alone." Shion scoffed at him.

"Put that away." he said condescendingly. Nezumi ignored him.

"Look Shion. I get it. You had to get away from them. Do you think I don't understand?" he said. "But how long do you think you will last out here? Just come along with me. One last time." Shion narrowed his eyes.

"But why towards No.6?" he asked. Nezumi shrugged.

"Do you have a better idea?" Shion looked away. "What do you have to lose? Your kidneys?" he joked. Shion gave him an annoyed look.

"Fine." he gave in. Nezumi gave him a half-smile.

"Let's get going. Are you alright with walking?" he asked. Shion moaned. Nezumi turned and looked at him. "Because I wasn't kidding about carrying you."

They walked mostly in silence, but it was a comfortable silence. That was how it had always been when Nezumi was around; when he did speak, it was with purpose, and Shion soaked in the feeling of his presence. The sun slipped down towards the horizon, washing the sky in pinks and yellows that took Shion's breath away. The path they were on intersected with a small canyon, and they followed along the cliff's edge. He glanced sideways and peaked at Nezumi, who faced forward determinately. Shion thought less and less about his illness as the sun disappeared and more about how right it felt to be with him.

Shion felt his foot slip along the side of the cliff. He yelled out in panic, helpless as he teetered towards the canyon. Before he could think about anything, he felt Nezumi's arms catch on to him, and they both rolled down the side of the cliff, wrapped in Nezumi's cloak. They landed with a thud on a ledge at least twenty feet from where they'd fallen. Nezumi was crouched over him, breathing heavily as cradled Shion in his arms. Their eyes were locked on each other.

"Is anything broken?" Nezumi asked. Shion groaned.

"I'm fine." Shion said. His heart was racing.

"You could have died!" Nezumi hissed. "You could have-"

"Nezumi-"

"What were you-" Shion cut him off by pulling his head upwards and kissing him. Nezumi's body tensed, but then he relaxed, closing his eyes. Shion pulled away.

"I'm really fine." Shion assured him. Nezumi responded by kissing him again, harder this time. Shion was surprised by his earnestness, but he went along with it, wrapping his arms around Nezumi's waist while Nezumi ran his hands through Shion's hair. They were both getting excited beneath the cloak, their kisses like sparks between them. Shion's hands wandered. Nezumi pulled his face away and moved towards Shion's ear.

"Are you sure?" he whispered. He looked into Shion's eyes. Shion nodded. Nezumi moved down to kiss his neck. Shion looked up at stars, then closed his eyes, letting all of his thoughts melt away.


	7. Chapter 7

Nezumi dangled his legs off the side of the cliff. Far below him was a pitiful stream of water, churning sluggishly along. It reminded Nezumi of the time they were wasting here. He sighed. Not even his sense of urgency to get to No.6 could bring him to wake Shion, though. Nezumi looked over at his companion, who was wrapped up in his cloak a few feet away. His bare leg peaked out from the side. The pink scar curled around his ankle and up towards his torso. Nezumi thought back to the brown-haired kid he had met so long ago in the rain. How could Nezumi have changed so much since then, and Shion so little? When he'd carried him home only days before, it was as if no time had passed at all since they parted ways, as if all those places Nezumi had traveled to over the span of three years had been mere seconds. Nezumi heard Shion groan.

"What's for breakfast?" he mumbled, as if he was asking his mother. What a spoiled child, Nezumi thought.

"What makes you think I would have anything for you?" Nezumi said indignantly. "You're the one who packed for a big escape." Still, he dug around in Shion's backpack. There was barely anything to eat, only a few slices of banana bread.

"Typical." Nezumi grunted. He scooted towards Shion and offered him the bread, but Shion had fallen asleep again.

"Hey, breakfast." Nezumi said impatiently. Shion twitched.

"Hey, idiot. Breakfast." Shion opened one eye slowly, examined Nezumi and the bread, then shut his eye tight and curled up into a ball under the cloak.

"Do we have anything else? Warm?" He muttered.

"We would if you hadn't packed for a suicide excursion." Nezumi retorted haughtily. Shion gave him a sour look. Memories of the night before came flooding back to him, and Shion began blushing uncontrollably. He tried to cover his face, but it didn't help; the color of his cheeks were just as dark as the scar there. Nezumi gave a half smile and looked away from him.

"So… Does this mean we're…" Shion said softly. Nezumi tensed.

"You don't have to say-" Nezumi began.

"... Not having breakfast?" Shion finished. Nezumi scoffed at him.

"At least it was warm under there last night." Shion said sheepishly. Nezumi always avoided talking about things like that. He didn't respond. The two of them split a slice of bread and began scaling the side of the cliff to get back to the road. Nezumi carried all of their things, but was still one step ahead of Shion. When the climb was over, Shion was out of breath, but the visibility of No.6 was encouraging. Even though Nezumi had selected the destination, the sight of it made him cringe. It made Shion slightly homesick.

"We should be there by tonight, right?" Shion asked. Nezumi nodded. They soon fell into their familiar silence. Shion couldn't shake the memory of Nezumi pressed against him beneath the stars. He looked down at Nezumi's hand, which was shove in a pocket lazily. He longed to hold it.

"Nezumi, I know you don't like to talk about this, but are we-"

"Shh!" Nezumi silenced him. He was focused on a sound off in the distance. It was a low grumbling.

"Is that," Shion whispered, "an engine?" Nezumi nodded. The rumbling soon became a roar.

"More than one." Nezumi said. He looked around, but there was nowhere to hide. He cursed under his breath. "We have to get back to the cliff." They turned around and ran. Nezumi was surprised at Shion's pace; he seemed to have forgotten his illness as he raced alongside Nezumi. They could see the figures by the time they got back to the cliff, four motorcycles careening towards them.

"Hurry, climb down." Nezumi instructed. He turned away as Shion jump off the edge of the canyon and landed on the ledge. Nezumi stared at the approaching cyclists with suspicion.

"Uh, Nezumi." Shion called. Nezumi ignored him, sliding down. He turned around to face Shion and was greeted by a grinning man who held a knife up to Shion's throat.

"Well, well, well, boys," the greasy biker said to his four companions, "look who made things easier on us." Nezumi clenched his teeth.

"Let go of him." he said threateningly. Shion's eyes were filled with fear.

"Am I hurting your little princess?" the man said mockingly, caressing Shion's face with the knife. "He is a treat, isn't he? Strange hair, strange eyes…" he trailed off. "Restrain 'em." Two of the men approached Nezumi. One of them tried to grab his arm. Nezumi flipped him onto the ground and kicked him in the face. Blood sprayed onto the dusty ground.

"No, no, no," the man with Shion chastised him, "that wasn't very smart." he moved the knife up to Shion's cheek and sliced the skin there. Shion whimpered as blood trickled down his face. "Next time, it'll be his throat." the man warned calmly. Nezumi breathed with fury. "Now let the nice man tie you up."

Nezumi stood perfectly still as one of the men stepped forward and clipped a rusty pair of handcuffs onto Nezumi's wrists behind his back. Nezumi's expression was ice cold.

"Fuckin' feisty guy." the man on the ground groaned as he clutched his face and sat up. Another pair of handcuffs were put on Shion. The group threw the hostages over their shoulders as they climbed back up to the road. Their bikes were hidden behind a pile of dead bushes. They were soon joined by those Nezumi had originally spotted on the horizon.

"What's today's catch?" one of the newcomer's asked, removing his chrome helmet. He was the only one wearing one. He had a necklace on made of teeth.

"We've got one with strange looks, strange markings, and another that looks like a girl and likes a good wrestle." the man with Shion answered. The man with the tooth necklace inspected Shion. He raised his eyebrows.

"I think the chief would find this one interesting." he concluded. He looked at Nezumi. "Put 'em in the kennel." Shion and Nezumi were thrust into a small cage with two wheels that was attached to one of the bikes. Nezumi could feel Shion trembling.

"What did he mean by 'today's catch?'" Shion whispered. Nezumi looked into his eyes and responded calmly.

"They're cannibals, Shion."


End file.
